An electronic control device for controlling the internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle is known, for example, from DE 198 28 279 A1. In this known device, a cylinder equalization based on the total torque is carried out. Desired values are determined from irregular running values individual to the cylinder. The equalization only takes place during lean operation. The object of this device is primarily to facilitate smooth engine running. German patent application 10 2006 026 390.1, also published as WO2007140997 discloses an electronic control device for controlling the internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, having an uneven-running detection unit and an injection-quantity correction unit. In that reference, a defined group of cylinders is assigned to a lambda probe. The injection quantity of a cylinder, to be tested, of the defined group is adjusted in the direction of a lean mixture by a differential adjustment value assigned to an uneven-running differential value. The injection quantity of at least one of the other cylinders which are assigned to the same lambda probe is correspondingly adjusted in the direction of a rich mixture, such that overall, a predetermined lambda value of this group of at least virtually 1 is achieved.
An object of the invention is to develop a mechanism of the type described with a lambda equalization.